Fines or Up to 2 Years Jail for Blocking or Harassing People at Places of Worship, and New Police Powers to Order People to Move On
Crimes Amendment (Places of Worship) Bill 2025
Legislative Assembly
Legislative Council
Assent
Topics
criminal penalties places of worship police powers protest public order public safety religious freedom
Introduced by: Michael Daley MP (ALP); The Hon Daniel Mookhey MLC (ALP)
Links to official parliament websites
Effects of this bill
If this bill passes, it means that:
The Debate
What different members said when this bill was debated:
Sue Higginson GRN
“On behalf of The Greens, I contribute to debate on the Crimes Amendment (Places of Worship) Bill 2025. The bill will criminalise the intentional obstruction of an attendee at a place of worship in New South Wales. It will also give police officers an incredibly broad power to issue a move on order to any person assembling who is simply near a place of worship, regardless of their intention.”
Damien Tudehope LIB
“I speak for the Opposition in debate on the Crimes Amendment (Places of Worship) Bill 2025. The bill deals with public assemblies, including under part 4 of the Summary Offences Act 1988, and police powers. The shadow Attorney General made observations in the other place as to why the laws have been introduced.”
Mark Latham IND
“I oppose the Crimes Amendment (Places of Worship) Bill 2025 on the basis that the Government has made no case for it. The Hon. Courtney Houssos’ contribution was remarkable. She said that this bill about protests in front of places of worship is being introduced because of the firebombing of synagogues. That is a totally different matter that is illegal under the laws of New South Wales.”
Emma Hurst AJP
“I contribute to debate on the Crimes Amendment (Places of Worship) Bill 2025. The Animal Justice Party condemns all forms of discrimination. The recent displays of antisemitism are abhorrent. My heart goes out to all members of the community feeling the weight and fear of those actions. There should be no tolerance for such hateful aggression in New South Wales.”
John Ruddick LIBT
“The Libertarian Party opposes the Crimes Amendment (Places of Worship) Bill 2025, just as we oppose all the anti-speech bills proposed today and the even more egregious anti‑speech amendments by what I am calling the "Illiberal Party". The bill criminalises the blocking of access to places of worship and gives the police greater powers to disperse unapproved protests near places of worship.”
Anthony D'Adam ALP
“I contribute to debate on the Crimes Amendment (Places of Worship) Bill 2025 to raise a few matters. The Leader of the Opposition in this place referred to the contribution of the shadow Attorney General in the other place, which cited the protest that occurred on 4 December 2024. I am deeply suspicious about the circumstances that led to the events on 4 December.”
Stephen Lawrence ALP
“I contribute to debate in support of the Crimes Amendment (Places of Worship) Bill 2025. I acknowledge the different community groups that have sent me submissions and material that has been really helpful in terms of understanding the issues, including Australian Lawyers for Human Rights, the NSW Council for Civil Liberties and the Human Rights Law Centre.”
Courtney Houssos ALP
“I will briefly address some of the issues that were raised during debate on the bill. It was suggested that the expansion of the move on powers in schedule 2 to the bill will allow police to issue a move on direction to any person protesting or demonstrating outside a place of worship and give police an unfettered power to move people on. That is not the case.”
News articles and press releases
Crimes Amendment (Places of Worship) Bill 2025
Mr MICHAEL DALEY, Attorney General — 2025-02-11
The Crimes Amendment (Places of Worship) Bill 2025 will amend the Crimes Act 1900 to create two new offences that capture intentional acts that seek to impede people from accessing or leaving a place of worship, as well as conduct that intimidates, harasses or threatens people who are attempting to access or leave a place of worship. Both offences will carry a maximum penalty of a fine of up to $22,000, imprisonment for two years, or both.